Dane County rescue group to offer free monthly vet care for pets of homeless individuals – Isthmus

Madison’s Underdog Pet Rescue will this month start offering free monthly vet clinics for the pets of people at risk of or experiencing homelessness. 

Underdog has offered these clinics in the fall since the rescue connected in 2022 with the Street Dog Coalition, a national nonprofit organization that provides supplies for the clinics, Lauren Brinkman, executive director, tells Isthmus. She says that the partnership addresses a community need and brings attention to Underdog Pet Rescue, a nonprofit rescue which operates an adoption and foster care program.

Brinkman says the monthly clinics are now possible with the recruitment of an additional veterinarian. The clinic’s location will shift from outside at Warner Park to a warehouse — which will eventually become Underdog’s new office location — at 2508 S. Stoughton Road that will provide protection from the elements in the winter months. Brinkman hopes providing clinics on a monthly basis will allow for continuity between visits. 

“If somebody brings their dog in with an ear infection, we can say, ‘Hey, come back next month, we can do a recheck on that,’” Brinkman says. “I’m just excited to be able to provide that more complete care.”

Brinkman encourages those visiting to check in early — “it’s first come, first served,” she notes — and to bring any medical history records they have. From there, clinic participants can expect around a 30- minute wait before being seen by a veterinarian who can provide exams or vaccinations. If an animal needs a more intensive procedure, like surgery or dental care, Brinkman says that Underdog can coordinate those services at a heavily reduced cost.

Though studies are limited, estimates for the percent of homeless people that own pets range from 5% to 25%. While pet ownership can pose barriers for access to housing and shelters, many studies indicate positive impacts from homeless peoples’ pet ownership, including that pets can help create structure and routine in their owners’ lives.

Brinkman says that there’s a “notion that people should only have pets if they can afford them” and acknowledges that, even among middle-class people, veterinary care can be prohibitively expensive. She says the owners of pets treated at the clinics are often grateful that they’re given the opportunity to proactively care for their pets.

Despite the clinics’ success, Brinkman says that the supplies Street Dog Coalition can provide to Underdog are limited and that there’s always a need for more donations. Donations and volunteer opportunities can be found at underdogpetrescue.org, she says. 

Clinics for the rest of this year are scheduled for Aug. 28, Sept. 25, Oct. 30, Nov. 20 and Dec. 18.